Railway traffic governing apparatus



1 mi v mBv Q fiZM 4H Sept. 1, 1931. c A BROOKS ETAL RAILWAY TRAFFIC GOVERNING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21, 1950 A Patented Sept. 1, 1931 oNijrE-o 'sTAT Es PATENT OFFICE oHAn Es A. Bacon's, or'swIssvALn; ANn HENRY ,s. YOUNG, or WILKINSBURG, rENN- syLvAivr AssreNons. TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, or SWISSVALE, i PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPGR-ATION or PENNSYLVANIA RAILWATYTRAIFIC 'GC'VERNDTG APPARATUS A lication filed August 21, 1930. Serial o. 476,756.

Our invention relates to railway .traflic governingapparatus, and particularlyto apparatus for-"counting the n'umberof cars entering and leaving a given stretch of track.

One of the features of our invention is the provision, in apparatus of the class described, 015111821118 operated by the cars as they enter or depart from the stretch oitrack for indicating when the maximum permissible mun-- her of cars occupy the stretch.

I 'lVe will describe one form of railway traffic governing-apparatus embodying. our in vntiongand will then point out the novel featuresthcreofin claims;

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of railway tra ffic governing apparatus embodying our invention.

Referring to the drawing, a railway track X over which trailic proceeds n the direction indicated by the arrow, is shown as comprisingrails land 1?, and is providedwith signals S and S controlling the entrance and exit respectively of a stretch A-B of the 5 track X which is of suflicient length to accommodate a predetermined number of cars; in the present instance, three cars. The signal "S is controlled in a manner presently to be described so as to 1nd1cateclear" when there is sufficient room in the stretch for one or 'morecars, but to otherwise display a stop one of which, 07 is connected directly with the conductor 2. Signal S may be controlled in any suitable manner, and may, for example, be underthe control of traffic conditions in: advance of this signal or may be controlled I manually by. an operator. A contactor c is associatedwith the conductor 2 adjacent the entrance of the stretch for engagement by a vehicle carried currenticollecting device (not shown) such as a trolley wheel or shoe, and

is connected, througha resistance 7' with one terminal of a first control relay R the other terminal of which is connected with terminal 0 of the source of electricenergy; A (sontactor c is also located adjacent the exit end of the stretch and is connected through a resistance r with one terminalof :a second control relay R the other terminal of which is connected with terminal 0 of the source. When the current collecting device engages either contactor 0 or 0 it electrically connects such contactor with the conductor 2, so that the associated relay R or R becomes energized.

The. apparatus also embodies an arrival relay C controlled by the relay R and a, departure relay D controlled by the relay B Therelays C and D, in turn, control a plurality oi slow-releasing neutral stick relays L ,'L and L corresponding innumber with the number of cars that the stretch .AB will hold, and which I will term the first car main. relay, the second car main relay and the third car main relay, respectively. Associated with the relays L L and L are three slow-releasing auxiliary neutral stick relays M M and M which I will term the first car auxiliary relay, the second car auxiliary relay, and the third car auxiliary relay, respectively.

When the stretch A-B is unoccupied, the several parts of the apparatus occupy their normal positions shown in the drawing.

When in this condition, the signal S is caused to display a clear indication by electric current which traverses a circuit from a terminal 00 of a low voltage source ofelectric energy, through front contact 3 of the third'car auxiliary relay M wire4 and operating mechanism of signal S to terminal 0 of such low voltage source. The first our main relay L is energized by electric current which traverses a stick circuit from terminal on, through back contact 5 of the arrival relay C, wire 6, front Contact 7 of first car main relay L wires 8 and 9, and winding of this relay to terminal 0. The relay L is energized over a stick circuit which passes from terminal as, through front contact 10 of relay M wire 11, front contact 12 of relay L ,'wires 13 and 14, and winding of this relay to terminal 0. The relay L is also energized over a stick circuit which may be traced fromterminal :0, through front contact of auxiliary relay'M wire 16,

front contact 17 of relay L wires 18 and 19,

and 'Winding of this relay to terminal 0. p

The first car auxiliary relay M is energizedby current (which flows from terminal 00, through 'back contact 20 of departure re"- lay D, wires 21, 22 and 23, front contact 24 o-ffirst car main relay L wire 25, and winding fof fauxiliary 'relay M to terminal 0. Thesecond'car auxiliary relay M isenergized by electric current which traverses a' circuit from terminal :21, through back contact 20 of departure relay D, wires 21, 22 and 26, front contact 27 of relay LHw-ire 28 and winding of relay M to terminal 0. The auxiliary relay M is energized over a circuit passing from terminal-m, through back contact-20 0f departure relay D, wires 21 and 29,

front contact 30=of relayL wire 31 and it to close its front contact 32. The closing of-'this "contact completes a circuit from terminal m, througlrfront contact 32of relay R wires 33 'and34, and winding of approach relay C to terminal 0 of source, thereby energizing the-approach relay C and causing itto closeits front contacts? This establishes a stick circuit for relay C from terminal w, through a front contact 36 of relayL wire 37, front contact35 of approach relay C, wires 38 and 34, and'winding of approach relay C to terminal 0. This stick circuit maintains the approach relay C energized after the control relay R becomes deenergized upon'the movement of the current collecting' device out of engagement with the coi'itacto'r 0 The energization of the ap-' proach relay C also opens its back contact 5, thereby opening-the stickcircuitfor the first 'car m'ain relay L previously traced through this contact and causing the deenergization of this' relayg-the stick circuit of relay C maintaining the contact 5 open until the slowreleasing-relay L has had time to open its ffrontcontact 7'.' As -soon,however, as the contact 7 opens, another break is provided in the stick circuit'for thefirst car main relay L and, simultaneously with the opening of the 'conta'c't'7, the front contact- 36 ofthis relay alsoope'ns. The opening of contact 36 breaks the stick circuit previously traced through-{thiscontact fo'r approach relay C thereby causing the relay C again to become "'d-e'energized and closeiits back contact 5, but

the' sticlncircuit through this contact will not be reestablished for the reason that the front contact 7 of slow-releasing relay L is The deenergization of the first car slowreleasing mam relay L also causes the front contact 24 ofthis relay to open andcauses the deenergization of slow-releasing auxiliary front contact 12 of relay L wires 13 and 14, and winding of relay L to terminal 0. The slow-releasing relay L consequently remains.

energized.

If the first car stops with its current collecting device in engagement with the contactor C the front contact 24 of'slow-releasing relay L opens at the expiration of a predetermined'interval of time, and opens the circuit through this contactwhichmalntain's relay 1 energized. Under such conditions,

the stick'circuits for the second car main relay L would not be establishedthrough the back contact 43 of the auxiliary relay M by reason of-the fact that the back contact 39 of approach relay C is open due. to the energij zation of this relay. If this. happens, it causes the deenergization of the second main relay L and such succeeding relays as are dependent upon the operation of relay L In order, therefore, to insure against such a possibility we provide a stickcircuit for relay M -fr'om terminal a2, through a front contact 44 ofarrival relay C, wire 45, front contact 46 ofrelay M wire 47, back contact 48 of relay L wire 25, and winding of relay M to terminal 0. This stick circuit is estal 'lishedimmediately upon the closing of back contact 48 and before the slow-releasing rclay M has had time to open its front contact 10, and maintainsthe second main relay L energized by its stick circuit previously traced through front contact 10 of relay'M notwithstanding the abnormal condition above described. 1 r i WVhen a second car now enters the stretch A B'and carries its current collecting device into engagement with the'contactor 0 it will energize the control'relay R and arrival relayC in the manner previously described. The energization of the arrival relay C again causes the front contact 35 thereof to close and immediately establish a stick circuit for this relay 'fromterminal a: of the-source, through front contact 49 of' the' secon'dcar main relay 'L ,'wire 50, back contact 51 of relay M fwire 52,21 baclrcontact53 of relay L", wir'e 37-, front contact of'arrival relay I contact 54 thereof to close at the expiration of a predetermined time interval. The opening of frontcontact le-90f relay L interrupts the stick circuitpreviously traced through this contact Which maintains the arrival relay C energized after the current collecting device moves out of engagement with the corn tact'orc 'and-perinits this relay to close back contact 55 thereof. Also, the opening of-fr'ont contact 27 of relaylL interrupts the circuit "previously traced through this contact which maintains the auxiliary relay; M normallyenergized and permits this relay to open its front contact '15 and to close a back contact 56 thereof. The opening of front contact 15' interrupts the stick circuit for relay L previously traced through this contact but a second stick circuit is, llOWQVElj, immediately established for the relay L from the terminal tliroughback contact 55 of arrival relay C, ire 57 back contact 54 of relay L wire 58, back contact 56 of relay M wire 16, front contact 17 of relay L wir'es 1'8 and 19, and winding of relay L to terminal 0. The slow-releas ng th rd car i this Contact which maintains relay M encrgizedf Under such conditions, the second stick circuit for the third car main relay L is not established through the back contact 56 of thesecond auxiliary relay M by reason of the fact'that the back contact 55 of the arrival relay C is open due to the energizatioi of this relay. If this happens, it causes the deenergi'zation of the third car main relay L and the relay M controlled thereby. In

order, therefore, to insure also against this possibility, we provide a stick circuit for relay M from terminal m'through front contact 59- of arrival relay C, wire60, front contact 61 of relay M wire 62.} back contact 63 of relay L Wire 28, and Winding of relay M to terminalo. This circuit is closed immediately'upon the opening of front contact 27' and the closing" of back contact 63 and before the slow-releasing relay M has had time to open its front'contact 61, and maintains relay L energized by its stick circuit previously traced through front contact 15 of relay M notwithstanding the abnormal conditions above dcscribec I If athird car new enters the stretch AB and carries its current collecting device into engagement with the contactor 0 it will enerthe control relay R and the arrival relay C. The energization of the relay C again causes the front contact 35 thereof-to close and immediately establish a stick circuit for this relay from terminal 22, through a front contact til of relay L", wire 65, back contact 66 of relay M wire 67, back Contact 68 of relay L wire 50, back contact 51 of relay M wire 52, back contact 53 of relay L Wire 37,

front contact 35 of arrival relayC, wires 38 through this contact, thereby causing front contacts 64 and 30 of relay L to open at the expiration of a predetermined time interval. The opening of front contact 64 of relay L interrupts the stick through this contact which maintains the arrival relay C ener 'ized after the current 001- lecting d vice moves out of engagement with i'ilso, the opening of front contact 30 of relay L interrupts the, circuit previously traced through this contact which maintains the auxiliary relay ll? normally energized and permits this relay to open its front contact 3. The opening of the front contact 3 interrupts the signal circuit previously traced through this contact, thereby causing the signal S to display a stop indication signifying to succeeding cars that the stretch i i-B is occupied to the limit of its capacity.

Also. as in thecase of the first and second cars, if the tliirdcar stops with its current collecting device in engagement with the con stretch AB is not yet filler fore, to avoid tie display of sucha false iiidication, We provide a stickcircuit for the "aux liary relay M from the terminal at, through front contact 69 of arrival relay C,

wire 70, front contact 71 of relay 1 wire 72, each contact 73 of relay L wire 81, and winding of relay M to terminal 0. TlllS circuit is also established immediately upon the closing ofbacl; contact 73 and before the slow-releasinn relay M has had time to open its front contact l. and maintains the front contact 3 closed and the signal circuit therethroug l'i intact. As soon, however, as the car moves entirely into the section A B and carries its currentcollecting device out of' circuit previously traced "iio signal S notwithstanding the fact that the I In order,therc- 4 engagement with the contactor 0 the arrival relay becomes deenergized and opens its front contact 69,- thereby interrupting the stick circuit for the thircl auxiliary relay 1% previously traced through this contact and permitting the front contact 3 to open. This breaks the signal circuit as above described and causes the signal S to display a stop indication. y

' .Thestretch AB being occupied by'three .C2LIS,.W6 Will'no assume that the first car departs therefrom and carries its current collecting device into engagement With the second-contactor 0 This connects the conductor 2 and hence terminal :3 With the contactor c and current flows thence through resistor r and Winding of control relay R to terminal 0 thereby momentarily energizing this relay and causing it to close a front contact 74 thereof. The closing of this contact completes a circuit from terminal 00, through front contact 74 of reIayR Wire 75,- and Winding of departure relay D to terminal 0, thereby energizing the departure relay D, and causing it to close its front contact 76. This establishes a circuit from terminal w, through front contact 76 of departure relay D, wires 77 and 19. and inding of relay L to the terminal 0 of source, thereby causing theenergization of this relay and the-closing of its front contacts 17 and 30. The closing of front contact 17 of relay L immediately reestablishes the stick circuit for this relay, previously'traced, through back contact of arrival relay C, back contact 5.4 of relay L and back contact 56 of relay M As soon,however, as the current collecting device of the first car moves out of ening device into engagementwith the-second contactor 0 1t Wlll again cause the energization of the departure relay D. This establishes apick-up circuit for relay L from terminal 91, through front contact 78 of departure relay D, Wire 79. front contact 80 of relay M Wires 81 and 14, and Winding of; relay L to terminal 0. The energization of relay L by this pick-up causes it to close its front contact 12 which immediately reestablishes the stick circuit initially traced through back contact 39 of arrival relay C, back contact 41 of relay L back contact 43 of relay ,M and front contact back contact 54 of relay L but reestablishes a stick circuit for relay L from terminal 03, through front contact 82 of relay L WlIO 58, back contact 56 of relay M Wire 16, front contact 17 of relay L Wires 18 and 19, and Winding of relay L to terminal 0.

As soon as the contact collecting device of the second car moves out of engagement With the contactor 0 the departure relay D again becomes deenergized and closes its back contact 20, thereby reestablishing the pick-up circuit for relay M v previously traced through this contact and the front contact 27 of relay L The reenergization of relay M causes it to open its back contact 56 and to close its front contact 15, thereby interrupting the stick circuit for relay L' previously traced through the former and reestablishing the stick circuitfor this relay initially traced through the latter, v

If the third car now departs from the stretch AB and carries its current collecting device into engagement with the contactor 0 it will again cause the energization of the departure relay D.- This establishes a pick-up circuit for relay L from terminal w, through front contact 83' of de? parture relay D, Wire .84, front contact 85 of relay M Wire 86, front contact 87 of relay M Wires 88 and 9, and Winding of relay L to terminal 0. The energization of relay L by this circuit causes it to close its front contact 7, thereby .reestablishing the stick circuit for this relay initially traced through this contact. The energization of the relay L also opens back contact 41 and closes front contacts 24 and 89. The opening of back contact 41 interrupts the stick circuit previously tracedthrough this contact, back contacts 43 of relay .M and front contact 12 of relay L and immediately establishes another stick circuitfor this relay from terminal 00, through front contact 89 of relay L and the contacts 43 and 12 ofrelays 'M andL p V As soon as the third" car departs entirely from the stretch A-"B and carries its current collecting device-outof engagement with the second contactor 0 the departurerelay D again becomes deenergized and to open its front contact 83 and close its back contact 20. This interrupts the pi.ck-up circuit forthe first car'relayL above traced through the contact 83. and reestablishesthe stickcircuit for auxiliary relay M initially traced through back contact 20 of relay D,- and front contact 24 of first car relay L The energization of relay M causesit to open its back contact 43 and to close its front contact 10, thereby interrupting the stick'cirres I cuit for second car relay L previously traced through contact 43 and reestablishing the stick circuit for this relay initially traced through front contact 10. The apparatus is thus returned to its normal condition originally described.

c From the foregoin it will be apparent that the signal S displays a stop indication when and only when the maximum permissive number of cars occupy the stretch AB and that as soon as this number is reduced, the signal S immediately indicates this fact by displaying a clear indication. Also it will be apparent that our invention is readily adaptable to stretches oftrackg of greater capacity by simply increasing the number of the'car relays L and M. Moreover, it will be apparent that, while we have shown and described our invention as being utilized to indicate only when the stretch is occupied by the maximum permissivenumber of cars, it is also adaptable with slight changes to counting systems for indicating when different numbers of cars occupy thestretch. I

Although we have herein shown and described only one form of railway traffic governing apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our 'nvention, what we claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of electric railway track adapted to contain a predetermine'dnumber of cars, a conductor for supplying propulsion current to cars operating over said stretch, a series'of succes- [sively dependent instrumentalities, a con 7 control one of said instrumentalities so as to render a succeeding dependent instrumentality controllable by a succeeding car,-and means controlled by the last of said series of ins-trumentalities for indicating when said stretch contains such predetermined number of cars. I

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track adapted to contain a predetermined number of cars, a first series of main relays, a second series of auxiliary relays associated with said main relays, a control relay operable by cars upon entering, said stretch, a stick circuit for the first main relay of said series of main relays controlled by said control relay, stick circuits for succeeding main relays of said series of main relays controlled by the preceding auxiliary relay in said second series and by said control relay, stick circuits for each of said auxiliary relays controlledlby the associated main relay, and means operable by the last auxiliary relay of lsairl second series'for indicating when said stretch contains such predetermined numher of'cars, 7 y

3 .'In combination, a stretch of electric railway track adapted to contain a predeter mined number of cars, a'conductor for supplying propulsion currentto said cars, a c series of successively dependent electro-retor associated with said railway and adapted r to be traversed by a vehiclefcarried current collecting device,,traflic governing means for controlling the entry of cars into said stretch, a contactor associated with said conductor adjacent the entrance of said stretch for enr;

gagement by said currentcollecting device when a car enters said stretch,aplurality'of main car relays,a plurality of auxiliary car relays con-trolledby said main car relays for controlling said ,traflic governing. means, an

arrival relay'for successively controlling said main car relays upon'the entrance of cars into said' block, and a control'relay for con trolling. said arrival relay and having one terminal thereof connected? with said cont'actor. c

5-. In combination, a stretch of railway 'traclc adapted tocontain a predetermined number of cars, a conductor associated with said track and adapted to be traversed by a car carried current collecting device, a contactor associated with said conductor, a control relay having one terminal thereof connected with said contactor, means for indicating when said stretch is occupied by the maximum number of cars, a first main relay controlled by said control relay and adapted to be deenergized upon the entry of a first car into said stretch, a first auxiliary relay controlled through a front contact of said first main relay, a second main relay controlled through a front contact of said first auxiliary relay and adapted to be deenergized upon the entry of a second car into said stretch, a second auxiliary relay controlled through a front contact of said second main relay, 'a third main relay controlled through a front contact of said second auxiliary relay and adapted to be deenergized upon the entry of a third car into said stretch, a third auxiliary f relay controlledthrough a frontcontact said third main relay for operating said indication means, and a stick circuit'for. each of said auxiliary relays for preventing the deenergization of'succeeding main relays and the operation of said indicationmeans in the event that a *car'stops with its current collecting device in engagement with said contactor.

6, combination, a stretch of single track electric railway adapted to contain a prede termined number of cars, an electric conductor associatedwith said railway and adapted to be'traversed by a vehicle carried current collecting device, traflic governing means for controlling the entry of-cars into said stretch,

a 'first contactor associated .with'said conductor. adjacent the entrance ofsaid stretch for engagement by said current collecting device when a car enters said stretch, a: second conment by said'current collectingdevice when agcarjdeparts from said stretch, 'a plurality of main carrelays corresponding in number with the number ofcarssaid stretch is adapt ed to accommodate, a, plurality of auxiliary car relays controlled by said'm'ain car relays for controlling said "trafiicgoverning means," r i 'an arr val relay for'successively controlling 1 said main car relays upon the entrance of cars into said stretch, "a: first control relay for controlling sa'idarrivalrelay and having oneterminalfthereof connected with said first contactor, a departure relay for controlling said'main car'relays upon the exitof cars fromsaidstretchg'and a second control relay for controlling said departure relay and having one terminal thereof connected withsaidsecond cont'actor.

Intestimony'whereof we allix our signatures." i i CHARLES A. BRooKs "HENRY s. YOUNG. 

